Switched video distribution apparatus

Abstract

A communication system is provided for the distribution of switched video, along with telephony and control information, over fiber from a central office to a subscriber premises. The system can dynamically allocate video channels to subscribers using a pool of switched channel selector units located at the central office, thus permitting increased sharing of video distribution resources and controlling access to all channels. The system can provide a multiplicity of simultaneously available switched channels at each subscriber premises from a selection of over a hundred channels available at the central office. Subscribers are connected to the switched video service through a switched video distribution system rack. Switched channels will travel over single-mode fiber in AM/VSB format compatible with subscriber video equipment.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. Switched video distribution apparatus, comprising: video receiving means (10) having RF bus combiners and responsive to video headend signals, for providing a plurality of video information signals;   video switch assignment control means (50), responsive to a plurality of video channel select signals from a corresponding plurality of subscribers, for providing a corresponding plurality of video switch assignment control signals; and   a plurality of dynamically assignable video switch means (20, 21, . . . , 44), each responsive to the plurality of video information signals, and each further responsive to a corresponding one of the video switch assignment control signals, for providing a corresponding selected one of the video information signals for an associated one of the subscribers.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of video switching means (20, 21, . . . , 44) includes an RF bus selector means (60), responsive to the selected one of the video switch control signals and further responsive to the video information signals, for providing the corresponding selected one of the video information signals. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a corresponding plurality of subscriber buses (78a, 78b, . . . , 78h), each responsive to the selected one of the video information signals, each for providing one or more of the video information signals to a respective one of the subscriber premises. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of the subscriber buses (78a, 78b, . . . , 78h) has a separate frequency range, and each of 0-6 video channels is assigned a separate sub-frequency range therein. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus comprising: control means (50), responsive to a plurality of video channel select signals from a corresponding plurality of subscribers, for providing a corresponding plurality of video switch control signals; and   a plurality of video switching means (20, 21, . . . , 44), each responsive to a plurality of video information signals and each responsive to a selected one of the video switch control signals, for providing a corresponding selected one of the video information signals for an associated one of the subscribers;   wherein each of the plurality of video switching means (20, 21, . . . , 44) includes an RF bus selector means (60), responsive to the selected one of the video switch control signals and further responsive to the video information signals, for providing the corresponding selected one of the video information signals;   wherein each of the plurality of video switching means (20, 21, . . . , 44) includes: i) tuning means (62), responsive to the corresponding selected one of the video information signals, for providing a tuned intermediate frequency signal;   ii) demodulating means (64), responsive to the tuned intermediate frequency signal, for providing a demodulated baseband signal;   iii) on-screen display signal means (70), responsive to the switched video control signal and responsive to the demodulated baseband, for providing a composite video and OSD signal;   iv) modulation means (72), responsive to a composite video and OSD signal, for providing a modulated intermediate frequency signal;   v) frequency agile means (74), responsive to the video switch control signal and the modulated intermediate frequency signal, for providing an upconverted signal.     
     
     
       6. Switched video distribution apparatus, comprising: video switch assignment control means (50), responsive to a plurality of video channel select signals from a corresponding plurality of subscribers, for providing a corresponding plurality of video switch assignment control signals; and   a plurality of dynamically assignable video switch means (20, 21, . . . , 44), each responsive to the plurality of video information signals, and each further responsive to a corresponding one of the video switch assignment control signals, for providing a corresponding selected one of the video information signals;   wherein each of the corresponding plurality of dynamically assignable video switching means (20, 21, . . . , 44) includes a respective second RF bus selector means (76), responsive to an associated one of the corresponding plurality of video switch assignment control signals and further responsive to the plurality of video information signals, for providing the corresponding selected one of the video information signals for an associated one of the subscribers.   
     
     
       7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said apparatus further comprises: a plurality of POTS/control modulator means (80), each responsive to a telephony signal for an associated subscriber and a control signal for the associated subscriber, each for providing a modulated telephony and control signal; and   a corresponding plurality of combiners (82), each responsive to the selected video information signal for that subscriber and each further responsive to the modulated telephony and control signal, each for providing a combined video, telephony and control signal for the associated subscriber.   
     
     
       8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said apparatus further comprises: a corresponding plurality of drivers and electrical-optical converting means (84), each responsive to the combined video, telephony and control signal, each for providing a combined video, telephony and control optical signal.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said apparatus further comprises: a corresponding plurality of wavelength division multiplexing means (85), each responsive to the combined video, telephony and control optical signal, and further responsive to a combined WDM telephony and ONU control optical signal received from an optical network unit (ONU), each for providing a combined WDM video, telephony and control optical signal for transmitting to the subscriber, and for further providing a combined telephony and control optical signal from the optical network unit (ONU).   
     
     
       10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein said apparatus further comprises: a corresponding plurality of optical/electrical converting means (90), each responsive to the combine telephony and control optical signal, each for providing a combine telephony and control electrical signal; and   a corresponding plurality of POTS/control demodulator means (92), responsive to the combined telephony and control electrical signal, each for providing a demodulated telephony signal and a demodulated control signal.   
     
     
       11. A communication system for distributing video channels to subscribers upon demand, comprising a) a central office (2) video switch assignment control means (50), responsive to a plurality of video channel select signals from a corresponding plurality of subscribers, for providing a corresponding plurality of video switch assignment control signals; and a plurality of dynamically assignable video switch means (20, 21, . . . , 44), each responsive to the plurality of video information signals, and each further responsive to a corresponding one of the video switch assignment control signals, for providing a corresponding selected one of the video information signals to an associated one of the subscribers; and   b) a plurality of optical network units (100), each responsive to one of the selected video information signals from the central office, each for providing one of the selected video information signals to a respective subscriber and each for providing one of the video channel select signals.   
     
     
       12. A communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber optical network units (100) further comprises: wavelength division multiplexing means (102), responsive to a combined WDM video, telephony and control optical signal received from the central office, and further responsive to a combined telephony and ONU control optical signal, for providing a combined video, telephony and control optical signal for the subscriber, and a combined WDM telephony and ONU control optical signal for the central office;   electrical/optical converting means (104), responsive to the combined video, telephony and control optical signal, for providing a combined video, telephony and control electrical signal; and   demultiplexing means (106), responsive to the combined video, telephony and control electrical signal, for providing an ONU control signal, a video information signal, and a telephony signal.   
     
     
       13. A communication system as claimed in claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber optical network units (100) further comprises directional coupling means (108), responsive to the video information signal, for providing a plurality video information signals, all frequencies being passed to each set-top, where internal tuners select a desired channel. 
     
     
       14. A communication system as claimed in claim 13, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber optical network units (100) further comprises RJ interface means (112), responsive to the telephony signal, for providing an interfaced telephony signal. 
     
     
       15. A communication system as claimed in claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber optical network units (100) further comprises multiplexer means (114), responsive to the interfaced telephony signals and responsive to the ONU control signals, for providing a combined multiplexed telephony and ONU control signal. 
     
     
       16. A communication system as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of subscriber optical network units (100) further comprises driver and electrical/optical conversion means (116, 120), responsive to the combined multiplexed telephony and ONU control signal, for providing the combine telephony and ONU control optical signal. 
     
     
       17. A communication system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said communication system further comprises a corresponding plurality of fiber optic waveguides; and   each of the subscriber optical network units being connected by a respective one of the plurality of fiber optic waveguides to the central office, each subscriber optical network unit being disposed locally at a respective subscriber premise.   
     
     
       18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said communication system further comprises a plurality of frequency division multiplexers, each responsive to a bidirectional POTS and control signal and a bidirectional video information signal, each for providing a respective combined bidirectional video, POTS and control signal; and   a corresponding plurality of electrical/optical converters, each responsive to one of the respective combined bidirectional video, POTS and control signal, each for providing a combined bidirectional POTS and video optical signal, which is bidirectionally transmitted via one fiber optic waveguide to one of the respective subscribers.   
     
     
       19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said communication system further comprises a plurality of first electrical/optical converters, each responsive to a bidirectional POTS and control signal, each for providing a bidirectional POTS and control optical signal, which is transmitted to and from the respective subscriber via a first fiber optic waveguide; and   a corresponding plurality of second electrical/optical converters, each responsive to a bidirectional video signal, each for providing a respective bidirectional video optical signal, which is transmitted to and from one of the respective subscribers via a second fiber optic waveguide.   
     
     
       20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said communication system further comprises a plurality of first electrical/optical converters, each responsive to a bidirectional POTS and control signal, each for providing a respective bidirectional POTS and control optical signal, which is transmitted to and from one of the respective subscribers via a first fiber optic waveguide;   a plurality of second electrical/optical converters, each responsive to a bidirectional video signal, each for providing a respective bidirectional video optical signal, which is transmitted to and from one of the respective subscribers via a second fiber optic waveguide; and   a corresponding plurality of wavelength division multiplexers, each responsive to the respective bidirectional POTS and control optical signal and the respective bidirectional video optical signal, each for providing a respective combined WDM bidirectional video, POTS and control optical signal.   
     
     
       21. A communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said communication system further comprises a plurality of first frequency division multiplexers, each responsive to a POTS and control signal and a video signal, each for providing a respective combined video, POTS and control electrical signal;   a plurality of first electrical/optical converters, each responsive to the respective combined video, POTS and control electrical signal, for providing a respective combined video, POTS and control optical signal for a respective subscriber;   a plurality of wavelength division multiplexers, each responsive to the respective combined video, POTS and control optical signal, for a respective subscriber, and the respective combined video, POTS and control optical signal, from the respective subscriber, each for providing a respective combined WDM video, POTS and control optical signal for a respective subscriber, and a respective combined video, POTS and optical signal from one of the respective subscribers;   a plurality of second electrical/optical converters, each responsive to the respective combined WDM video, POTS and control electrical signal from one of the respective subscribers, each for providing a respective combined video, POTS and control electrical signal for one of the respective subscribers; and   a plurality of second frequency division multiplexers, each responsive to the respective combined video, POTS and control electrical signal for one of the respective subscribers, each for providing a POTS and control electric signal and a video electrical signal for one of the subscribers.